Set beneath one of the most iconic peaks in the Alps, the Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB takes place every July in Grindelwald, Switzerland, within the breathtaking Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Nature Heritage site. Now in its 14th edition, this legendary event has been drawing trail runners from around the world since its launch in 2013, offering distances to suit every level of runner, from the grueling multi-day E250 to the accessible E16 Pleasure Trail.

The Eiger itself stands at 3970 meters above Grindelwald and has enthralled visitors to the valley for well over a century. The mountain was first summited in 1858 by local mountain guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren, together with their guest Charles Barrington. But it was the north face that captured the imagination of the entire mountaineering world. Known as the “last problem of the Alps,” the Eiger North Face resisted every attempt for decades before Anderl Heckmair, Fritz Kasparek, Ludwig Vörg and Heinrich Harrer finally conquered it in 1938, in a battle waged over four days. Today, world-class climbers tackle the same face solo in less than two and a half hours. As Ueli Steck once remarked of the Eiger Ultra Trail: “harder than the North Face solo.”

The valley of Grindelwald itself sits within the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Nature Heritage site, one of the largest glaciated areas in the Alps and a landscape shaped over millennia by the movement of ancient ice. The three peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau form a constant backdrop across much of the race terrain, rising above green alpine meadows, glacial moraines, and dramatic limestone ridgelines. This is a landscape that rewards those willing to move through it on foot, where altitude changes rapidly and each new ridge opens onto a fresh perspective of the surrounding peaks and valleys.

The flagship E101 Ultra Trail covers 101 km with 6700 m of elevation gain, threading through a remarkable sequence of waypoints that showcase the full range of the region. From Grindelwald, the route climbs to Grosse Scheidegg before continuing through First and Bachalpsee, up to the Berghotel Faulhorn summit at 2680 m, then descending through Schynige Platte and on to Wengen and Männlichen, before traversing the base of the Eiger North Face itself. The maximum allowed race time is 25 hours, and a UTMB Index is required for entry. Runners start at 04:00 on Saturday and have until 05:00 Sunday to finish. The route is completed under partial self-support principles, meaning competitors carry their own food and water between checkpoints and must have the mandatory equipment at all times.

The E51 Panorama Trail covers 51 km with 3100 m of elevation gain, sharing much of the upper route with the E101. The first ascent toward Grosse Scheidegg should not be underestimated, but once gained, the route along to Oberläger via First and Bachalpsee rewards the effort. The defining moment comes at the Faulhorn summit at 2680 m, where a full 360-degree panorama opens up across the Bernese Alps. From there, the descent through Schynige Platte and Burglauenen brings runners to the finish with a lasting impression of the alpine world above.

The E35 North Face Trail covers 35 km with 2500 m of elevation gain, starting in Burglauenen and delivering runners directly into the heart of the high mountain terrain. The route climbs steeply via the Gemsenweg, the so-called “chamois way,” a trail that hugs the mountainside as it works up toward the Männlichen ridge. From here, the views drop deep into the Lauterbrunnen valley below, one of the most striking glacially carved valleys in the Alps. The route then moves through Kleine Scheidegg and across the glacier moraine below Eigergletscher, before a sharp turn brings runners onto the traverse directly beneath the Eiger North Face. Few places in trail running offer a more direct encounter with a mountain this consequential. The descent follows the Eiger Trail through Trychelegg and on to the finish in Grindelwald.

The E16 Pleasure Trail covers 16 km with 950 m of elevation gain and offers a genuine introduction to this terrain for newcomers, while also serving as a fast tempo run for more ambitious athletes. The Trail Surprise, run on Friday, is a 15 km route with 800 m of elevation gain, adding a further dimension to a festival week that also includes a Kids Race on Friday afternoon.

For those seeking the ultimate challenge, the E250 is a multi-day race of approximately 260 km (subject to weather-related adjustments) that traverses imposing mountain ranges, rustic valleys, and the full breadth of the UNESCO World Heritage Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch region. Introduced in 2022 and completed in teams of two or three, it represents a different category of challenge entirely.

All finishers across every distance receive an Eiger limestone stone medal, each piece collected from the mountain and hand-prepared by a local mountain guide. The tradition reflects the spirit expressed by Anderl Heckmair, one of the four climbers to first ascend the north face: “What counts is the experience.” The event is a UTMB World Series race. The E101 earns 3 Running Stones, the E51 and E35 each earn 2, and the E16 and Trail Surprise each earn 1, all counting toward UTMB World Series qualification. With robust safety management, professional meteorological monitoring, and a vibrant festival atmosphere centered on Grindelwald’s event area near the train station, the Eiger Ultra Trail combines competitive trail running with one of the most historically and scenically significant settings in the alpine world.